Sheet container and feeding device

ABSTRACT

A detachable copy sheet container for automatic sheet-feeding device of a copying machine, wherein the front end of a receiving plate on which copy sheets are placed is supported from the outside of the container by a guide post passing through an opening on the bottom of the container, the back end being supported by the bottom plate of the container, and the front end of the container itself is supported by corner separators contacting the copy sheet. The corner separators are provided at upper parts of the front end of the container. The back end of the container is supported by an outside fulcrum provided at the middle of the width of the back end.

Suzuki Jan. 18, 1972 [54] SHEET CONTAINER AND FEEDING 1,582,610 4/1926 1011118011.... ..271/39 DEVICE 2,922,644 1/1960 Perzentka .....271/39 3,339,916 9/1967 Tre a ..271 36 [72] Inventor: Shigeru Suzuki, Yokohama-shi, Japan g y I [73] Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Ricoh, Tokyo, Japan Primary Emmmer-Joseph wegbreit Assistant Examiner-Bruce H. Stoner, Jr. [22] filed: 1969 Attorney-Ernest G. Montague [21] Appl. No.: 849,333

ABSTRACT 30 F i A li ati p i i D A detachable copy sheet container for automatic sheet-feed ing device of :1 copying machine, wherein the front end of a Sept. 30, 1968 Japan ..43/85058 receiving plate on which copy sheets are placed is supported from the outside of the container by a guide post passing 5 "271/ 221/ 1 through an opening on the bottom of the container, the back 111 end being supported by the bottom plate of the container, and [58] meld of Search 5:6 the front end of the container itself is supported by corner separators contacting the copy sheet. The corner separators are provided at upper parts of thefront end of the container. [56] References Cited The back end of the container is supported by an outside ful- UNITED STATES PATENTS crum provided at the middle of the width of the back end. 3,343,716 9/1967 Peebles ..221/52 X 8 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PMWWWWWW BIESEBABB IINVENTOR ATTORNEY SHEET CGN'EAllNEll-l AND FEEDHNG DEVICE The present invention relates in general to a sheet container usable in a copying machine and an automatic sheet-feeding means, and more specifically to a cassette-type container and cooperative feeding device which is simple in structure and is easy to remove and mount.

it is an object of the present invention to provide a sheetfeeding device and a cassette-type container which is easy to set to and to remove from a copying machine, and which, loaded with a stack of sheets of copying paper having a standard size, is easy to replace with another container.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a cassette-type container having well known fcorner separators" whose positioning is independent of sizes of sheets.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a structurally very simple sheet container for an automatic sheet-feeding means of a copying machine.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a sheet container which can be easily and very exactly set to an automatic sheet-feeding means in its position, having an opening or openings at its base through which a guide post or posts fixed to a copying machine itself protrude into the container and push up a receiving plate laid free and loose inside the container, a stack of sheets being placed on the receiving plate.

With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent in the following detailed description, the present invention will be clearly understood in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sheet container constructed in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating the mode of usage of the sheet container.

Referring to the drawing, there is illustrated a sheet container having corner or sheet separators 3 which are fixed at a slightly higher level than that of the upper edge of a front panel ll of the container. The function of an automatic sheetfeeding means with such comer separators and that of the corner separators themselves are well known.

Inside the container there is provided a receiving plate 4 for receiving a stack of copying paper sheets thereupon. A bottom baseplate 5 of the container is provided with openings 6 in its front portion. When the sheet container is mounted on an automatic sheet-feeding means, guide posts 7 fixed to a baseplate 8 are titted loosely into the openings 6 and push up the receiving plate 4i through the openings. The baseplate 8 is firmly fixed to side plates 9 of the copying machine and a supporting arm lltl with an apex 1100 at one end is inserted through the baseplate 3. Therefore, the container loaded with sheets S tilts down to the left in. FIG. 2, with the apex 10a at the end of the supporting arm 10, supporting the rear part of the container and working as a fulcrum until the sheet separators 3 come into contact with and press the leading edge of the topmost sheet of the sheet stack. As the weight of the container affects the pressure of the separators 3 against sheets, the weight of the container should be chosen so that the pressure of the separators 3 on the sheets shall be proper. It is obvious, however, that the pressure of the separators 3 is not only determined by the weight of the container, but can also be changed by adjusting the contact position of the end of the supporting arm lltl. For example, when the apex 10a of the supporting arm W is shifted a short distance more forwardly than seen in FIG. 2, the pressure decreases. For this reason, the supporting arm w is movably mounted on to the baseplate b so as to be movable back and forth (to the left and right in FIG. 2). For feeding the sheets, there is provided a sheet-feeding means comprising a sheet-feeding roller 11 so as to contact the topmost sheet of the stack with pressure. This roller rotates clockwise as shown by an arrow provided in FIG. 2 when it is to feed sheets. The sheet-feeding roller 11 is supported freely by an end of a rocking arm (not shown in the drawing) and when the container loaded with sheets is to be mounted on or removed off, it is necessary to lift the roller 11 upwardly until it reaches the position shown by dotted lines 111A. For driving the roller 111 there is provided a chain 12 which engages with a sprocket wheel 1d fixed to a driving shaft 113. The rocking arm is supported by the driving shaft 13. Although there are various kinds of automatic sheet-feeding means to be mounted on a copying machine in addition to one shown in the FIG. 2, the sheet container in accordance with the present invention may be used in any kind of system only by providing guide posts 7 and a supporting arm 10.

As sheets of paper are fed out one by one, the front portion of the container is lowered by a distance equal to the thickness of the sheets of paper and the pressure of the separators against the remaining sheets is kept almost constant.

Since the sheet container in accordance with the present invention is simple in structure and easy to manufacture, it may be disposed when all sheets set therein are used up, although it may, of course, be used again by reloading it with a stack of sheets. In case the container is molded from plastics, the sheet separators can be formed as an integral part of the container.

For protecting photosensitive sheets from exposure to light, a cover plate 15 may be used. This cover plate may be adapted to be partially removable to engage the roller lll onto the topmost sheet of the stack or may be adapted to be wholly removable to reload said container with sheets.

While the present invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiment shown but, on the contrary, intended to cover the various alternatives, an equivalent constructions included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

ll claim:

ll. A copy sheet-feeding device, comprising:

an operatively vertically immovable supporting member,

operatively immovable guide members operatively sup ported on said supporting member, and said supporting member and said guide members adapted to be operatively connected securely to a housing of a copying machine,

a container having a front end and two corners thereat and having openings through which said guide members loosely fit and said container including a bottom baseplate pivotally supported on said supporting member at a support portion constituting a fulcrum support,

a sheet-receiving plate loosely mounted in the bottom of said container and supported immovablyby and against said guide members,

a sheet separator provided at both of said comers at said front end of said container, and adapted to hold a stack of copy sheets between said sheet-receiving plate and said sheet separators,

a feed roller disposed rotatingly adjacent an uppermost copy sheet held between said sheet-receiving plate and said sheet separators, and adapted to be brought into pressure contact with said stack of copy sheets, and

said container being operatively supported by said guide members cooperatively via said sheet-receiving plate and said separators.

2. A sheet container for an automatic sheet-feeding means comprising a container having two corners at a front end,

corner separators on said container and adapted for pressing both corners of leading edges of sheets contained in said container,

a sheet-receiving plate laid loosely inside said container,

said container defining at least one opening,

an operatively immovable guide post extending loosely through said at least one opening and supporting a front part of said sheet-receiving plate, and

a supporting arm pivotally supporting said container at a rear portion thereof constituting a fulcrum.

3. The container, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said sheet receiving plate is supported at a front portion thereof by said guide post and a rear portion of said sheetreceiving plate is supported at said rear portion of said container.

4. The container, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said container includes a bottom baseplate having said at least one opening in a front portion thereof and being supported by said supporting arm at said rear portion thereof, said sheet-receiving plate being supported on said rear portion of said bottom baseplate substantially directly over said fulcrum.

5. The container, as set forth in claim 4, wherein said supporting arm constitutes a movable arm in order to change said fulcrum relative to said container.

6. The container, as set forth in claim 5, further comprising a baseplate adapted to be connected to a housing of a copying machine,

said guide post is secured to said baseplate, and

said supporting arm is longitudinally movably mounted on said baseplate.

7. A sheet container for an automatic sheet-feeding means comprising a container having two comers at a front end,

comer separators on said container and adapted for pressing both comers of leading edges of sheets contained in said container, v

a sheet-receiving plate laid loosely inside said container,

said container defining at least one opening,

an operatively immovable guide post extending loosely through said at least one opening and supporting a front part of said sheet-receiving plate, and

an automatic feeding means for feeding sheets out of said container.

8. The container, as set forth in claim 7, further comprising a cover plate slidably mounted on said container at the top thereof for covering said sheets and having an opening therein through which said feeding means passes for feeding said sheets out of said container. 

1. A copy sheet-feeding device, comprising: an operatively vertically immovable supporting member, operatively immovable guide members operatively supported on said supporting member, and said supporting member and said guide members adapted to be operatively connected securely to a housing of a copying machine, a container having a front end and two corners thereat and having openings through which said guide members loosely fit and said container including a bottom baseplate pivotally supported on said supporting member at a support portion constituting a fulcrum support, a sheet-receiving plate loosely mounted in the bottom of said container and supported immovably by and against said guide membeRs, a sheet separator provided at both of said corners at said front end of said container, and adapted to hold a stack of copy sheets between said sheet-receiving plate and said sheet separators, a feed roller disposed rotatingly adjacent an uppermost copy sheet held between said sheet-receiving plate and said sheet separators, and adapted to be brought into pressure contact with said stack of copy sheets, and said container being operatively supported by said guide members cooperatively via said sheet-receiving plate and said separators.
 2. A sheet container for an automatic sheet-feeding means comprising a container having two corners at a front end, corner separators on said container and adapted for pressing both corners of leading edges of sheets contained in said container, a sheet-receiving plate laid loosely inside said container, said container defining at least one opening, an operatively immovable guide post extending loosely through said at least one opening and supporting a front part of said sheet-receiving plate, and a supporting arm pivotally supporting said container at a rear portion thereof constituting a fulcrum.
 3. The container, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said sheet receiving plate is supported at a front portion thereof by said guide post and a rear portion of said sheet-receiving plate is supported at said rear portion of said container.
 4. The container, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said container includes a bottom baseplate having said at least one opening in a front portion thereof and being supported by said supporting arm at said rear portion thereof, said sheet-receiving plate being supported on said rear portion of said bottom baseplate substantially directly over said fulcrum.
 5. The container, as set forth in claim 4, wherein said supporting arm constitutes a movable arm in order to change said fulcrum relative to said container.
 6. The container, as set forth in claim 5, further comprising a baseplate adapted to be connected to a housing of a copying machine, said guide post is secured to said baseplate, and said supporting arm is longitudinally movably mounted on said baseplate.
 7. A sheet container for an automatic sheet-feeding means comprising a container having two corners at a front end, corner separators on said container and adapted for pressing both corners of leading edges of sheets contained in said container, a sheet-receiving plate laid loosely inside said container, said container defining at least one opening, an operatively immovable guide post extending loosely through said at least one opening and supporting a front part of said sheet-receiving plate, and an automatic feeding means for feeding sheets out of said container.
 8. The container, as set forth in claim 7, further comprising a cover plate slidably mounted on said container at the top thereof for covering said sheets and having an opening therein through which said feeding means passes for feeding said sheets out of said container. 